The present invention relates to gaming systems, and more particularly relates to a multimedia presentation at the gaming machine formed by synchronized multiple video streams and/or audio streams.
In order to maintain interest of the player of a gaming machine, the video screen presentation of still and moving elements provides great attraction. Heretofore, this has been accomplished by generation of unique content video presentations on the gaming machine display using a single video stream carrying the display content. In other cases, multiple display units have been positioned both on the gaming machine and at a separated location.
In addition to providing an interesting display at the gaming machine, it is desirable to provide a number of services and benefits to the player while the player is at the gaming machine. Such services may be initiated or provided via the display unit(s) of the gaming machine. For example, a player may desire to make a dinner reservation. To do so, the player would leave the gaming machine and walk to the casino restaurant where the player would make the reservation. This causes delay in the gaming activities of the player and may pose an annoying inconvenience. Instead, the player may visually access the remote reservationist from the gaming machine. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,971,271, which issued on Oct. 26, 1999, describes such a communication system. Instead of live content, other gaming machines have provided video entertainment at the gaming machine. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,113,495, which issued on Sep. 5, 2000.
However, in these types of systems, problems arise where the player views two disjointed and unrelated video displays occurring at the same time, or where one distant display interrupts viewing of a near display. The player must deal with one display or the other or alternatively attempt to deal with both at the same time.